goodwyn



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. F. GOODWYN. ELECTRIC TIME SWITCH.

Pateiited Feb. 8, 1898.

gw 2212 In; i/MM (No' Model.) 2 SheetsSheet2.

G. F. GOODWYN.

ELECTRIC TIME SWITCH. No. 598,864 Patented Feb. 8, 1898.

Witmwm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE FREDERICK GOODlVYN, OF ARNPRIOR, CANADA.

ELECTRIC TIM E-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 598,864, dated February8, 1898.

Application filed April 26, 1897.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE FREDERICK GOODWYN, a subject of the Queen ofGreat Britain, residing at Arnprior, in the county of Renfrew, Provinceof Ontario, Dominion of Canada,have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Electric Time-Switches; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in time-switches for electricalcircuits; and it consists of a switch so constructed as to be placed onthe bell of an ordinary alarm-clock and which will be opened or closedby the action of the usual alarm-hammer of the clock; and it furtherconsists of such modifications of the alarm-striking mechanism of theclock as will cause the hammer to close the circuit with one stroke at apredetermined time and to be withdrawn and open the circuit afterholding it closed for whatever length of time the mechanism may be set.

The said invention further consists of the novel construction andarrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described andclaimed.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which like parts aredesignated by the same letters of reference throughout the severalviews.

Figure 1 represents a rear elevation of an alarm-clock with my inventionapplied thereto. Fig. 2 represents an inverted view of the bell with myimproved switch applied thereto. Fig. 3 represents a side elevation ofthe same. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the base of the switch proper,showing the insulated contact-plates thereon. Fig. 5 is a similar viewof the switch-lever, showing the other contact-plates secured thereto.Fig. 6 is a detail view of the pin for setting the mechanism at theproper time for opening the circuits. Fig. 7 is a sectional view on anenlarged scale, taken on the line 7 7 of Fig. 1, looking in thedirection of the arrows and showing the mechanism for operating thealarm-hammer of the clock. Fig. 8 is a sectional View of the same, takenon the line 8 8 of Fig. 7, with part of the escapement-wheel Serial No.633,993. (No model.)

broken away. Fig. 9 is a similar view taken on the line 9 9 of Fig. 8,showing the several parts in the position to hold the hammer away fromthe switch. Fig. 10 is a similar view showing the parts in the positionthey will assume when the hammer is released to allow it to close theswitch. Fig. 11 represents a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig.9, looking at the left-hand side of the latter view, part of thegear-wheel being broken away. Fig. 12 is a detail view in section of apart of the mechanism for holding and releasing the alarm-shaft.

A designates the clock, which may be an alarm-clock of the usualconstruction, and B designates the bell thereon.

The switch consists of a base-plate C, bent over at one end, as at O,and provided with two pairs of contact-plates c c and c 0 one pair, 0 0,being secured upon the flat end of the said base and the other pair, 0 0being secured to the lower side of the bent-over portion 0. All of thesaid contact-plates are insulated from the base and from each other, asat c the insulation being shown in black in the drawings. To thesecontact-plates c o and c c are connected the ends of the circuitwires10, the negative wires being connected to one of each pair ofcontact-plates, and the positive wires to the other plate of each pair,as indicated in Fig. 4. Near the middle of the base-plate O is secured abracket C insulated from the plate, as at 0, and in the same bracket ispivoted the switch-lever D, having contact-plates d d secured to itsends on opposite sides thereof and insulated therefrom, as at 0.

\Vhen the lever D is in its proper position in the bracket it may beturned about its pivot to bring the contact-plates d and d into contactwith the pairs of contact-plates c c and c 0 respectively, thus closingthe circuit from c to c and from c to 0 as will be readily understood.The said contact-plates are preferably provided with spring-lips c tomake better contact with the plates d d.

E designates a bracket having at one end a lateral arm 6, bent uponitself in the form of a U and to receive the edge of the bell B, thesaid end being provided with a clampscrew 6, by means of which thebracket E may be clamped to the edge of the bell B at any desiredposition. The bracket E is bent downwardly, as at E, to bring its loweredge below the edge of the bell B, and is curved to correspond with thecurvature of the said bell. The said bracket then extends parallel withthe edge of the bell for a short distance, as at E and is provided witha set-screw e to rest against the edge of the bell and thus steady thebracket E. The horizontal portion E of the said plate is perforated toreceive the two guide-rods c 0 secured to the base 0 of the switch, andalso provided with a threaded perforation to receive a screw 0 which isswiveled in the base 0 between the guide-rods c 0 and which serves toadjust the said base 0 to or from the bracket E and the edge of thebell, and also to hold the said base at the desired position.

A spring 61 is placed in the bracket 0 beneath the switch-lever D, andarranged so that when the lever is approximately parallel to the baseC-i. e., when the switch is openthe outer leaf of the springs will pressagainst the under side of the switch-lever directly beneath and a littledistance on each side of its pivotal point, thus holding the said leverbalanced in the open position, as shown in Fig. 2.

When the switch is properly adjusted in the bell, the alarm-hammer willstrike the outer end of the lever D and press the same toward thecontact-plates c 0' against the tension of the end 01 of the spring dThis will bring the contact-plates d and cl against the contact-plates cand c and c and 0 thus closing the circuit at these plates.

The alarm-hammer arbor F is provided with the usual escapement f,actuatedby an escapement-wheelF in the usual manner. The hammer F issupported upon a stem f above the arbor in the proper position to strikethe switch-lever in the bell, and the arbor is further provided with anarm f, extending inwardly and downwardly in position to engage aretaining-pawl G. The shaft H, which controls the alarm mechanism, isprovided at its outer end with the usual milled disk H and pointer 77.and on its inner end with a disk It, having a lug 7L2, and the saidshaft is held from longitudinal movement by the pin it and collar h.

On the inner end of the shaft H, adjacent to the inner face of the diskh, is mounted a toothed wheel I, having a hollow cylindrical hub I, theinterior diameter of which is sufficient to slide over the disk h, butnot large enough to take in the lug h with it. This cylindrical hub I isprovided with a notch 2', having one side, i, straight and parallel withthe axis of the shaft H and the other side, 6 inclined, as shown inFigs. 9 and 10.

The toothed wheel I is mounted to rotate and slide freely on the shaft Hand is geared to the clock mechanism to rotate in unison with thehour-hand of the clock and in the direction indicated by the arrow inFig. 11. As this is the usual form of gearing in this '5 which forms abearing-surface of the spring G, which carries the retaining-pawl G.

The spring G is secured to the framework of the clock, as at g, and isperforated to allow the shaft II to pass through. The free end thereofis bent down, as at g, and to this bent end is secured theretaining-pawl G,made of tempered steel to reduce the wear, and whichserves to hold the arm f on the alarmhammer arbor.

The tendency of the spring G is to press the edge of the cylindrical hubI of the toothed wheel I against the lug h on the disk It, and when, asthe toothed wheel revolves,the notch 1' comes beneath the lug 77. thepressure of the said spring G will cause the cylindrical hub I to slipover the disk It, and thus allow the spring to move the retaining-pawl Gaway from the arm f of the hammer-arbor, thus releasing the hammer andallowing it to strike 7 the switch-lever D.

The retaining-pawl G is formed with a finger 9 at the base of which is acurved portion g corresponding to the curve of the cross-section of thearm f, and terminating at the beginning of an inclined portion 9 whichlatter incline is for the purpose of retaining the arm f of thehammer-arbor to hold the hammer away from the switch-lever, this beingthe normal position of the device, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

As the wheel I is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrows inFig. 11 by the movement of the clockworks, if the shaft II be held fromturning, the straight side of the notch i will pass the lug h on thedisk It and the spring G will throw the cylindrical hub over the disk h,allowing the said spring to move the retaining-pawl outward and releasethe arm f of the alarm-arbor, allowing the escapement-wheel which isactuated by the usual spring to throw the hammer F against theswitch-lever.

The movement of the retaining-pawl G is only far enough to allow the armf to move off the curved portion 9 but not far enough to allow it topass the finger 9 as shown in Fig. 10, and the adjustment of the hammerand switch-lever is such that the switch will be closed just before thesaid arm strikes the said finger g Should the shaft II continue to beheld from rotation, the rotation of the wheel I and the hub I will causethe lug h to ride up the inclined edge a? of the notch z' in the saidhub and force the wheel I against the tension of the spring G. As thesaid spring is moved inwardly the curved portion 9 of the pawl G will beforced against the arm f of the hammer-arbor, and will press against thesaid arm until the pressure of the bearing-hub i on the wheel I has bentthe spring G sufficiently to cause the said curved portion 9 to springover the said arm and force the latter suddenly downward beneath theinclined portion g thus causing the hammer F to spring suddenly awayfrom the switchlever and allow the latter to make an instantaneous breakin the circuit.

The shaft H is free to rotate by frictional contact of the lug 71.2 withthe hollow hub I,

and while the said shaft H and wheel I, with its hub I, all rotatetogether there will be no change in the position of the pawl G. If,however, the shaft H be prevented from rotating and the wheel Icontinues to turn from the movement of the clockworks, theretaining-pawl G will release the arm f each time the lug it passes intothe notch 1 thus allowing the hammer to strike the switch-lever, andwill withdraw the said arm f and the hammer F as the lug 71, passes outof the said notch 1'. On the back of the clock, as shown in Fig. 1, adial A is arranged concentrically around the end of the shaft 11, whereit projects through the said back, and the said dial is divided, as ata, to correspond with the hours and quarter hours on the face of theclock, and at each of these divisions is bored a small hole a. Thepointer h on the shaft H is arranged to move around over the said holesa as the said shaft revolves.

A post K is secured to the back of the clock adjacent to the place wherethe hand-arbor comes through, and to the top of this post is secured aflat plate K, spindle 7c and at the other end a pair of lugs 71;. On thespindle is is loosely mounted a disk M, having a notch m on one sidethereof and twelve studs m arranged at equal distances around itsperiphery and numbered to correspond with the hours on the face of theclock.

Between the lugs Zn on the plate K is pivoted a lever N, one end ofwhich is curved, as at It, and rests upon the side of the disk M. Theother end of the lever N extends over the end of the shaft H and isperforated in line with the center of the said shaft to receive a stemP, which is reduced, as at p, to fit snugly in the said perforation.

A spring-washer q is placed on the reduced part p of the stem P, theconvex side of which bears against the shoulder '19 011 the stem, andthe other side rests upon the upper side of the lever N. The lower endof the stem P is still further reduced, as at p and is screw-threaded,andon the latter reduced portion is placed a washer q and a curved fingerP, which latter is screwed down upon the washer q, (see Fig. 12,) thusholding the several parts together and causing sufficient friction toprevent the stem P and finger P from being turned easily in the end ofthe lever N.

The stem P is provided with a cross-bar P by means of which it may beturned by hand when necessary to set the switch. The linger P is curved,so that its free end will project near enough to the dial A to interceptthe pointer h when the lever N is in the position having at one end ashown in Fig. 7, and thus hold the shaft H from rotation.

A spring k is secured to the plate K and presses against the under sideof the lever N between its pivotal point and the end carrying the stemP, and tends to press the curved end it upon the side of the disk M andto cause the said end to drop into the notch on when the said notchpasses under the end a of the lever as the said disk is rotated, andthus throw the opposite end, carrying the lever P, upward out of the wayof the shown by dotted lines in Fig. 7. The arbor of the minute-handextends through the back of the clock and is provided with milled head Aas is usual in clocks of this class; but in this instance the milledhead A is provided with a stud a which will engage the studs m on thedisk M, and thus turn the said disk one-twelfth of a revolution for eachrevolution of the minute-hand of the clock.

The operation of the device is as follows: If, for instance, it isdesired to set the clock to close the circuit at 10.30 oclock and toopen it again at 3.30, the stem P is turned until pointer 7t, as

the finger P is in position to intercept the I pointer it when itarrives at ten and a half on the dial A, as shown in Fig. 1. Then notingthe number of hours from the time of setting the clock to the time it isdesired to close the switch the disk M is turned until the studcorresponding to that number is beneath the end n of the lever N. Thepin R (shown in Fig. 6) is then placed in the hole a in the dial A twohours in advance of the time it is desired to have the circuit open, inthe present instance in the hole at one and a half to cause the circuitto open at 3.30. Both the clockmainspring and the alarm-spring should bewound up. lVhen the pointer h is intercepted by the finger P, the shaftH will be held from motion, and, the wheel I continuing to turn, thehollow hub I will drop over the disk h when the notch i arrives belowthe lug 7L2, the works being adjusted so that this will take place atthe hour at which the pointer is held, as indicated on the dial A. Thiswill allow the spring G to withdraw the retaining-pawl G and release thearm f, allowing the hammer, by the force of the alarm-spring, to strikethe switch-lever and close the switch, as hereinbefore described. Theadjustment of the switch is close enough to the alarm-hammer to preventthe latter from vibrating, and the alarm-spring will hold the hammeragainst the said switch-lever, thus holding the switch closed. Beforethe lug 77, will have time to ride up the inclined side i of the notcht' the end it of the lever N will drop by the pressure of the spring 70into the notch m in the disk M, and thus raise the finger P above thepointer 71, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 7, leaving the latter freeto rotate and allowing the shaft H to rotate with the wheel I. As longas these parts rotate together the retaining-pawl G will not engage thearmf, and the hammer will bear upon the switch-lever,

holding the switch closed. The pointer it will move around the dial A atthe same speed that the hour-hand moves around the face of the clockuntil it comes in contact with the pin R, which is in the opening a atone and a half. This will again stop the pointer 7L and shaft H andcause the lug 72. to ride up the inclined edge 71 of the notch t'. Thiswill force the hub I and wheel I against the spring Gr, causing it toforce the curved portion g of the retaining-pawl G against the arm funtil the spring G has bent sufficiently to cause the said curvedportion g to spring over the said arm f and force the hammer F suddenlyaway from the switch-lever against the tension of the alarm-spring, andthus allow the switch to open suddenly, as will be readily understood.

The time required for the lug 71 to pass up the inclined side i of thenotch t and force the hammer e away from the switch after the pointer ithas been stopped by the pin R is two hours. Thus the switch will opentwo hours after the pointer h is stopped by the pin R. For this reasonwhen setting the switch the pin R is placed in the hole a two hours inadvance of the time at which it is desired to have the circuit open. Itwill therefore be evident that when it is required to keep the circuitclosed for two hours only the finger P need not be used, as the pin Rwill answer to stop the pointer at the time the switch is to close andto hold it until the switch is open two hours later. If the pin Rremains in the opening a, it will hold the pointer until the hour-handhas made one complete revolution, when the switch will again close andopen in two hours. The side m of the notch m is made of such inclinationthat after the end 01 of the lever N falls into it each time the disk Mis turned by the stud a the end a of the said lever will ride only partway up the inclined side m and as soon as the said stud a has passed thestud m on the disk M the spring will cause the end of the lever to slidedown the inclined side m to the bottom of the notch m, thus turning thedisk M back to the position it occupied when the end n of the lever Nfirst dropped into the said notch 112, so that the disk M will notrevolve far enough to lift the said end of the lever N entirely out ofthe said notch m. \Vhen thepin R is used to stop the pointer h to closethe switch, the end 01 of the lever N is allowed to remain in the notchm and keep the finger P out of the way of the said pointer a.

It will be evident that the usual alarm-spring and escapement may bedispensed with and a simple spring to press the hammer against theswitch-lever may be used in place thereof, as it is not necessary forthe hammer to vibrate as in ringing the ordinary alarm-bell. As this andother slight modifications may be used without departing from the spiritof the invention, I do not wish to limit myself to the precise detailsof construction as herein described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In an electrical time-switch, the combination with a base,contact-plates secured to the said base, and a switch-lever pivoted toand insulated from the said base; of a clock, a bracket secured to thesaid clock, a screw through the said bracket to support and adjust thesaid switch-base, means for guiding the said switch-base during itsadjustment and means connected with the works of the said clock to pressthe said switch -lever against the said contact-plates and to releasethe same at predetermined times, substantially as described.

2. In an electrical time-switch, the combination with a base,contact-plates secured to and insulated from the said base, a bracketalso secured to and insulated from the said base, and a switch-leverpivoted in the said bracket; of a clock, abracket secured to the saidclock,a screw through the said bracket to support and adjust the saidswitch-base and means for guiding the said switch-base during itsadjustment, a hammer connected with the works of the said clock andmeans for causing the said hammer to strike the said switch-lever atpredetermined times, substantially as described.

3. In an electrical time-switch, the combination with a base havingguide-rods secured thereto, and adj usting-screw swiveled to the saidbase, contact-plates secured to and insulated from the said base, abracket also secured to and insulated from the said base, a switch-leverpivoted in the said bracket, and a spring to hold the said lever awayfrom the said contact-plates; of a clock, a bracket secured to the saidclock and perforated to receive the said guide-rods, and tapped toreceive the said adj Listing-screw to support the said switch-base,ahammer connected with the works of the said clock, and means for causingthe said hammer to strike the said switchlever at predetermined times,substantially as described.

4:. In an electrical time-switch the combination with a base,contact-plates secured to and insulated from the said base, a bracketalso secured to and insulated from the said base, and a switch-leverpivoted in the said bracket; of a clock, a bracket secured to the saidclock to support the said switch-base, a hammer actuated by themechanism of the said clock, an arm connected with the said hammer, aspring-actuated pawl, having curved and inclined edges to engage thesaid arm, and means for causing the said pawl to release the said arm,and again engage the same at predetermined times, substantially asdescribed.

5. In an electrical ti1neswitch, the combination with a base,contact-plates secured to and insulated from the said base, a bracketalso secured to and insulated from the said base, and a switch-leverpivoted in the said bracket; of a clock, a bracket secured to the saidclock to support the said switch-base, a spring-actuated hammer, an armconnected with the said hammer, a spring-actuated retaining-pawl havingcurved and inclined edges adapted to engage the said arm, a shaftmounted in the frame of the clock, a disk having a lug secured upon thesaid shaft, a toothed wheel having a notched hollow hub loosely mountedon the said shaft and adapted to control the spring-actuated pawl, thesaid toothed wheel receiving motion from the works of the clock, andmeans adapted to hold the said shaft againstrotation at a predeterminedtime, to cause the said hollow hub to drop over the said disk and allowthe said retaining-pawl to release the said arm, and to cause the saidhi g to pass out of the said notch and force the pawl again intoengagement with the said arm, substantially as described.

6. In an electrical time-switch, the combination with a base,contact-plates, secured to and insulated from the said base, a bracketalso secured to and insulated from the said base, and a switch-leverpivoted in the said bracket; of a clock, a bracket secured to the saidclock to support the said switch-base, a spring-aotuated hammer, an armconnected with the said hammer, a spring-actuated retaining-pawl, havingcurved and inclined edges adapted to engage the said arm, a shaftmounted in the frame of the clock, a disk having a lug secured upon thesaid shaft, a toothed wheel having a notched hollow hub loosely mountedon the said shaft adapted to control the spring-actuated pawl, the saidtoothed wheel receiving motion from the works of the clock, a dial onthe back of the clock, a pointer on the end of the said shaft, a leverpivoted on the back of the clock, an adjustable finger on the end ofsaid lever adapted to intercept the said pointer at a predeterminedtime, and hold the said shaft against rotation, to cause the said hollowhub to drop over the said disk and allow the said retaining-pawl torelease the said arm, and means for lifting the said finger above thesaid pointer after the said retaining-pawl has released the said arm,substantially as described.

7. In an electrical time-switch, the combination with a base,contact-plates secured to and insulated from the said base, a bracketalso secured to and insulated from the said base, and a switch-leverpivoted in the said bracket; of a clock, a bracket secured to the saidclock to support the said switch-base, a spring-actuated hammer, an armconnected with the said hammer, a spring-actuated retainingpawl havingcurved and inclined edges adapted to engage the said arm, a shaftmounted in the frame of the clock, a disk having a lug secured upon thesaid shaft, a toothed wheel having a notched hollow hub loosely mountedon the said shaft adapted to control the spring-actuated pawl, the saidtoothed wheel receiving motion from the works of the clock, a dial onthe back of the clock, a pointer on the end of the said shaft, a leverpivoted upon the back of the clock, an adjustable finger on the end ofthe said lever adapted to intercept the said pointer at a predeterminedtime, and hold the said shaft against rotation, a notched disk beneaththe other end of the said lever, the said disk being geared to the worksof the clock and receiving motion therefrom and a spring to cause thesaid lever to drop into the notch in the said disk and raise the saidfinger above the said pointer, substantially as described.

8. In an electrical time-switch, the combination with a base,contact-plates secured to and insulated from the said base, a bracketalso secured to and insulated from the said base, and a switch-leverpivoted in the said bracket; of a clock, a bracket secured to the saidclockto support the said switch-base, a spring-actuated hammer, an armconnected with the said hammer, a spring-actuated retaining pawl havingcurved and inclined edges adapted to engage the said arm, a shaftmounted in the frame of the clock, a disk havingalug secured upon thesaid shaft, a toothed wheel having a notched hollow hub loosely mountedon the said shaft, adapted to control the spring-actuated pawl, the saidtoothed wheel receiving motion from the works of the clock, a perforateddial on the back of the clock, a pointer on the end of the said shaft, alever pivoted on the back of the clock, an adjustable finger on the endof the said lever adapted to intercept the said pointer at apredetermined time, and hold the said shaft against rotation to causethe said hollow hub to drop over the disk, on the said shaft and allowthe said retaining-pawl to release the said arm, means for lifting thesaid finger above the said pointer after the said arm has been released,and a stop-pin adapted to be inserted in one of the perforations in thesaid dial to again intercept the said pointer and cause the said lug topass out of the notch in the said hub and force the pawl again intoengagement with the said arm, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE FREDERICK GOODWIN.

lVitnesses:

A. CAMERON, Jos. O. DAzfi.

